Is it not one of our biggest pet peeves that the semi auto AR15 is not an assault rifle . Using the same logic . It is an assault rifle because although purpose built not to be an assault rifle it still is derived from the same platform and design as an assault rifle there for it is an assault rifle .

Holy Strawman Batman

This has nothing at all to do with calling a gun a weapon. Technically speaking ALL rifles are assault rifles because they can be used to assault something. The problem with the term isn't the violent connotation that assault has to it, it's the arbitrary definition that's attached to it. My sporterized SKS isn't an assault rifle, but put a folding stock and flash hider on it, and magically it is? That's the problem with the assault rifle wording...not the term itself.